Improvement in foot-rails for carriages



T. W. & H. K. PORTER.

Foot-Rails for Carriages.

No, 143,031. Patented September23,l873.

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L/P/i UNITED STATES PATENT QFFIOE.

THOMAS W. PORTER AND HENRY K. PORTER, OF BOSTON, MASS.

IMPROVEMENT IN FOOT-RAILS'FOR CARRIAGES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 143,031, datedSeptember 23, 1873 application filed June 30, 1873.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, THOMAS W. PORTER and HENRY K. PORTER, of Boston, inthe county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented new anduseful Improvements in Carriage-Irons, of which the following is aspecification This invention relates to improvements in foot-rails; andthe invention consists in afootrail formed in sections, the foot-barshaving formed in the back side thereof a longitudinal groove, while thebrackets or end and center pieces are formed either with a slot, throughwhich the bolt passes to unite the parts, so that the rail is adjustablein its length for convenience in fitting to vehicles of various widths,or the brackets are formed with pivots by which to unite them with thefootpieces, by inserting the pivots in holes in such foot-pieces andriveting the parts together.

Figure 1 is an under-side view of the extension foot-rail. Fig. 2 is avertical transverse section taken on line 0 P, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is anunder-side view of the riveted foot-rail. Fig. 4 is a verticaltransverse section taken on line Q R, Fig. 3.

In Fig. 1, D is one of the foot-bars of the adjustable footrrail. E isan end bracket, and F the center bracket. In these brackets are formedslots, as shown at j, through which, as also through bars D, thescrew-bolts 1 pass. By thus forming the bars with a groove,

as shown in Fig. 2, and the brackets to slide therein, as also with anelongated slot, the parts of the rail are held in line, and aresusccptible of extension and contraction for the purpose before stated.t" t" is a curtain formed upon bar D, and of the same height as thewalls of the groove, and with a part cut away corresponding to thesemi-cross section of the bracket, so as to curtain the groove in thebar and present a finished end. G is a part of the bar of thenonextensible foot-rail. It is formed with a semicircular groove, m, inwhich the end bracket H fits, while two short projections, 0 0, formedupon the center bracket 1, also fit the groove in the same manner. a,Fig. 4, .shows a pivot formed upon these brackets, which passes througha hole in bar G, and, being riveted therein, unites them together. Thebar D, by reason of the necessity for the end curtains, is formed ofcast metal; but bar G may be either formed of cast metal or rolled inlong bars of wroughtiron, and then cut to required lengths, and at lessexpense than when formed of cast metal.

We claim as our invention 1. A foot-rail bar formed with a longitudinalgroove, h m, substantially as and for the purpose described and shown.

2. A foot-rail bracket formed with a slot, j, substantially as and forthe purpose described and shown.

3. An adjustable foot-rail formed with groove h m and slot j,substantially as and for the purpose described and shown.

4. Foot-rail brackets formed with a rivetingpivot, a, substantially asand for the purpose described and shown. I

THOMAS W. PORTER. HENRY K. PORTER. Witnesses:

EBEN HUTOHINsON, KASIMIR VOGEL.

